Study of mRNA expression of thirteen genes of Trypanosoma evansi in response to diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride

Abstract

The monomorphic, non-cyclic, extracellular haemoprotozoan parasite, Trypanosoma evansi leads to Surra disease in domesticated animals. Currently, diminazene aceturate (DA) and isometamidium chloride (ISM) are the most used chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of Surra in animals. There is still little knowledge on the anti- trypanosomal mechanism of action of DA and ISM. The work addresses a significant gap in the understanding of the anti-typanosomal mechanism of DA and ISM by investigating their effects on mRNA expression profiles of 13 genes of T. evansi. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of DA and ISM for a pony isolate of T. evansi was estimated as 335.3 nM and 308.6 nM, respectively. Transcript analysis of DA and ISM exposed T. evansi population showed its effects on the metabolic machinery of T. evansi by down-regulating the mRNA expression of all the 13 targeted genes. However, ISM exposure did not affect mRNA expression of Expression site-associated genes 8 (ESAG8), oligopeptidase B and ornithine decarboxylase genes. The finding provides valuable insights into the molecular action of these drugs, which is crucial for developing more effective treatment of Surra disease. Further, comprehensive transcriptome and proteomic analysis could provide a deeper insight into precise molecular pathway of these medications against T. evansi.

Keywords

• Diminazene aceturate, HMI-9 medium, Isometamidium chloride, qPCR, Trypanosoma evansi